Wood Composite Decking, Rails, Docks and Fencing

While researching composite decking materials I have compiled a good list of suppliers of this new building material. According to the Mother Earth News, (yes it is still around, after all these years :o) ...

Composites are a great choice for any surface where you or your children are likely to make skin contact, particularly decking, rails and outdoor tables. These products also are much easier to clean than wood, and you don't have to worry about getting splinters in your hands or feet. Many of the plastic milk bottles, detergent containers and grocery bags we recycle are being mixed with wood fiber to make a new generation of decking material called composite lumber. This recycled plastic lumber is now available in many home-improvement stores as well as lumber and building supply sources.

These products last as long as arsenic-treated wood. Unfortunately they cost more. Manufacturers, however, say the increased cost is offset because the composite lumber doesn't need the periodic staining and sealing that traditional wood requires. Composite lumber can be twice as heavy as many softwoods, so it is not strong enough to use for structural members, such as load-bearing walls, deck frames or floor joists, but fine for the deck's surface.

A more natural and maybe safer wood
product alternative:

Buffalo Lumber- TimberSIL Products. They have developed a new technology to fuse wood fibers and amorphous glass on a microscopic level. The results are impressive, not only as environmentally conscious green building technology to replace toxic treated lumber procedures but
according to them, based on pure performance, TimberSIL decks beats all plastic composite decking and IPE decking for longevity and durability.
Timbersil's patented glass fusion process creates a molecular barrier around and within wood fiber making it insoluble to water and a barrier to insects. There is nothing to leach into the ground or corrode your hardware. TimberSIL offers a 40 year guarantee as a barrier against rot, decay and common wood problems.
This wood is impressive in that it looks and feels like normal wood. The glass fusion process actually improves the stability of the wood. Best yet, glass fused wood is an effective fire retardant (Class A). TimberSIL Wood Provides a safeer product to use around BBQ grills and fires. If an outdoor grill does tip over on a TimberSIL deck, you will have time to remove the hot coals and cleanup. With composite materials such as TREX decking or vinyl decking, you have only seconds before your deck catches fire and burns out of control. When fire attacks regular wood, the heat causes wood to break down and releases volatile fumes which catch fire above the wood. The reason TimberSIL is such an effective fire retardant is that when fire attacks, the glassy portion traps the fumes that are produced and they can not escape as happens with composite decking materials. TimberSIL decks and lumber won't readily catch fire and spread.
www.buffalo-lumber.com

and one other alternative:

Ipe (pronounced EE-pay) is one of the finest quality wood available.
Used on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Las Vegas' Resort Hotel Treasure
Island. The importers say that nothing lasts as long as Ipe Decking. Ipe is an exotictropical hardwood that is naturally resistant to rot and decay, is 8 times harder than California Redwood, and is guaranteed for 20 years without preservatives!
Their Ipe Decking is responsibly harvested from managed forest trees to provide a renewable resource. Ipe has many benefits over teak and is available at a fraction of the cost.
They ship Ipe decking products direct to your home or jobsite. www.advantagelumber.com

Some suppliers of Man-made Composite Decking include:

Latutudes Decking and Railing--from Universal Consumer Products, Latitudes Intrepid composit decking has an array of choices of their man made material decking and railing. They have what they call Deck Stones too. perfect to go under a portable firepit. www.latitudesdeck.com

MexyTech--from China, with a EAASL website, they do have several downloadable pdfs of info to tell you specifics about their man-made composite decking. The installation photos that they include are in various countries altho I do not see any from the USA. www.MexyTech.com

EverNew decking. Deck planks feature an easy-to-clean, non-porous vinyl surface that won’t stain from accidental spills or ground-in dirt. Concealed stainless steel fasteners provide an aesthetically pleasing, secure connection that won’t rust or corrode. Deck systems are offered in a variety of colors that are UV protected for long-term durability and superior color retention. Plus, it cuts, fastens and handles easier than wood planks. Not too many exciting deck design ideas on this site. CertainTeed EverNew--has introduced four new decking and railing products. Their EvenNew PT and EverNew 20 railing has a realistic appearance of wood in a low maintenance material. It comes with a 20 year warranty. www.certainteed.com

Fiberon--The PermaTech surface on a Ipe and Rosewood product. Looks like deeply colored hardwoods. Each deck board is wrapped on all four sides to protect from stains, scratches and fading. The Fiberon product has a 20 year warrenty against stains and fading. www.fiberondecking.com

AERT, ( Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies Inc. ) A leader in wood composite technology. AERT began manufacturing decking systems in 1992 which were marketed under the trade names LifeCycle™. In that same year, AERT provided the decking material for the South Padre Island Convention Center Board Walk, which was the Company’s first high visibility public walkway. In 1995, AERT chose Weyerhaeuser as its national distribution and marketing partner for decking and accessories. AERT now makes two lines sold under two different names, Choice Dek and Mositure Shield. MoistureShield Professional Grade composite decking line features five new colors of decking, including two “exotic” colors designed to look like tropical hardwoods, a new matching handrail system with a more real wood look.www.aertinc.com

ChoiceDek--This product sold by Lowes, seems to have some bad reviews online. Some ChoiceDek customers have alleged that mold, mildew and other “black spots” have developed on their ChoiceDek decking boards and railings. Homeowners have alleged the mold spots are either difficult to keep away (requiring constant cleaning) or unsolvable (returning within a day or two). ChoiceDek is a registered trademark of the Weyerhaeuser Company. There may be a class action lawsuit, not sure, but the website has a 'Submit warranty info here" link The problems everyone complains about is black spots and more black spots!! where the sun hits the composite decking. I do not see black spots in any of thelovelyphotos in theri gallery ! www.choicedek.comMoistureShield® --watchout--thunder and lightening on this website !! Moisture Shield Composite decking is manufactured in two textures and five colors that can be mixed to create stunning and unique deck patterns. They say that a comparison of composite decking vs wood shows that the best composite decking can last 50 years or longer! They have a informtive cost comparison chart on the site. MoistureShield® 100% composite decking costs more initially compared to wood, but they say that you will save more than you pay in just a few years. When you consider the time and expense of maintaining a conventional wooden deck and the fact that MoistureShield® will last at least twice as long as a wooden deck, it makes sense to invest a little more and get a lot more. MoistureShield® and DIY Technologies have joined together to offer a tool for designing a custom deck for your home. It allows you to select your deck shape and size, add stairs and railings and additional levels. After you submit your custom design, a downloadable Deck Specification Kit gives you a 3D model of your design, a how-to checklist, tips for success, and a materials and cut list. www.moistureshield.com

TimberTech website has an online deck design system. You can use the interactive deck designer to make deck plans, and a 3-D rendering of your deck design. Choose the size, shape and color of your deck, add levels, stairs and railings, and create, change and save as many deck plans as you'd like. When complete, you can print out See some dream deck designs on the TimberTech site. TimberTech’s Earthwood Plank with VertiGrain™ surface has color and grain variations that emulate natural variations in real tropical hardwood. Time and exposure will enhance the natural color of the deck. Available in three warm, rich colors and two profiles. Available in Tropical Rosewood, Tropical Teak and Tropical Walnut. All colors are available in a grooved or solid plank. From what I have read, this brand may be one of the more expensive lines of composite decking, but it seems one gets what one pays for in this category. You can download specific information regarding the TimberTech 25-Year limited warranty additionally, TimberTech offers DrySpace a deck drainage system that collects the water that falls between the gaps in the planks and channels it away, leaving a dry and functional space below. Nice pictures but this would probably blow away in a storm down here. www.timbertech.com

PermaDeck--Wishbone Industries--They use 100% recycled plastic and metal to produce unique and stylish benches, picnic tables, trash receptacles, bike racks and more. Perma-Deck boards are an attractive, practical and innovative solution for long-lasting decks, porches and balconies. Perma-Deck is offered in 4 attractive colors: light grey, sandstone brown, beige and redwood to accommodate your individual decking needs. Perma-Deck is environmentally-friendly, ultra-durable and is made from 100% recycled plastic. Similar to wood, Perma-Deck can be drilled, mitered and
sanded. Known for its high performance results, PermaDeck planks come in several styles, like tongue and groove, are designed to be used with screws or hangers like regular wood boards, no special clips or anything. www.cascadesreplast.com
Wishbone also makes a landscape timber: XPotential Products are a plastic composite product manufactured with 100% recycled materials including post-consumer plastics and the non-metallic by-product from recycling automobiles. XPotential Products Inc. manufactures a plastic composite which is extremely durable, environmentally friendly and has a life expectancy of 75-100 years. Utilizing world-first technology, two plants have the production capacity to consistently supply landscape and garden supply centers, home building centers, lumber yards, environmental niche markets, wholesale distributors and discount chains. Looks interesting... www.xpotentialproducts.com

Trex Composite Decking--Trex has a new product called TrexTranscend. They say it is superior to the original product. and comes with a 25 year fade and stain warranty. The original Teex is manufactures decking material made primarily from recycled plastic grocery bags, shrink-wrap, and waste wood. Trex Company created the category of composite decking materials. In fact, over one million homeowners across the country own a Trex deck. Trex has the longest record of proven performance. Trex offers a 25-year limited residential warranty on all products. Trex Company is the nation's largest manufacturer of composite decking, railing and fencing, with over 15 years of product experience. Best deck design ideas online. They have a Create Your Space Deck Designer, Your personalized deck report will provide:
* Material and color selections of the deck you designed
* Deck layout diagrams
* Listing of Dealers where you can purchase Trex products
* Listing of TrexPro contractors that can help you build your deck
* Parts of a deck diagram and glossary of termswww.trex.com

CorrectDeck--Manufactures composite decking lumber made from polypropylene and Maine hardwoods. Based in Biddeford, Maine, Correct Building Products is the manufacturer of CorrectDeck, a composite decking material made from 60% recycled hardwood sawdust and 40% polypropylene.
Correct Building Products was founded in 1999 by two extrusion industry veterans with the goal of manufacturing technically superior, durable and sustainable composite building products for outdoor living. CorrectDeck products, including CorrectDeck, CorrectDeck CX, Dimensional Composite Lumber (DCL) and RapidRail are made from a patented wood fiber-polypropylene formulation. Lots and lots of deck photos, they let homeowners submit interesting photos that use their composite decking system. Looks like they make a dark green color that looks like painted porch flooring. www.correctdeck.com

GeoDeck Composite Decking and Railing system -- ..The GeoDeck composite decking and railing system is available in three fade-resistant colors; Cedar, Driftwood, and Mahogany. They make tongue & groove and traditional deck boards and offer a 20-Year limited warranty. GeoDeck is the only brand on the market that contains Biodac®, an exclusive product made from purified cellulose fibers and other minerals. Unlike wood flour or wood chips used in other composite products, Biodac does not contain high amounts of Lignins—a major contributor to fading of composite material. GeoDeck replaces Lignins with Biodac and the result is a superior deck that looks great year after year. www.geodeck.com

WeatherBest®--made by L-P. Louisiana-Pacific Corp. --six colors and a complete line of
railing. LP WeatherBest decking , which is made of wood and plastics, allows you to use all your regular tools.Made from a high-quality mix of plastics and wood, LP® WeatherBest® decking resists termites, rot, decay, and warping. and it will never splinter. LP WeatherBest is made of pre-consumer recycled wood particles and high density plastic. The added SmartGuard™ process fights off decay and winter mold. They offer a 10-year transferable limited warranty.
www.lpcorp.com

Lifetime Composites--decksing but also privacy fencing and pergolas are in its line of outdoor living space components. Their products are available in six colors. All resist rot, termites, mold, mildew and water absorption.

Genovations Decking and Railing--from Genova Products is solid PVC designed to provide scratch, stain and fade resistance. They offer four solid colors and three shades that incorporate authentic color variations of natural wood.

You also can use recycled-plastic lumber in the garden, since it contains no arsenic or chromium to contaminate the soil.